again disconnected the two canoes--an act which did not surprise
them; but his next proceeding astonished them a good deal.

Reaching across the boats, he shook hands with them all, at the same
time muttering a word or two to each.

"He is going to leave us," said Elwood, with an air of disappointment.

"He has good reason for doing so, but I am afraid it will be bad for
us."

"Adieu, Mr. Shasta, adieu!" said Tim O'Rooney, with considerable
feeling. "You've done us a good turn and we'll not forget you. If yez
ever drifts into San Francisco, give us a call."

The Indian motioned to them to proceed, and using his paddle with his
extraordinary skill, he sped up the river toward the camp-fire, and in a
very short time vanished.

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE WESTERN SHORE.

The departure of Shasta gave rise to all manner of doubt and
speculation. None of them believed he meditated bidding the party
good-by until he went through the ceremony of shaking hands. This
settled the matter, and they could have no cause for hope of seeing him
again.

"That must have been a party of his people," said Howard, "or he would
not have taken the pains to help us out of sight."

"At any rate, he has done us good service," replied Elwood. "I don't
know what would have become of us but for him."

They had not yet begun using their paddle, but were drifting with the
current, debating upon their course of action.

"I think I understand why he left us," added Howard, after a moment's
pause.

Tim and Elwood looked up in his face.

"I think we have passed through most of the danger, and he thought we
were just as safe without him as with him. Don't you see, Elwood, that
we have come a good ways down the river, and we must be near some
settlement. I think there is a place called Soledad somewhere along this
river, but whether on the eastern or western bank I cannot tell."

"It is a good ways off, I should say fifty miles, and is on the western
bank."

"How comes it that _you_ are so well informed?" asked Howard, repeating
the question that had been asked him by his cousin when on the steamer.

"It is only accidentally that I know that. A few weeks ago I was
comparing an old and new geography and noticed what different views they
gave of the western part of our country. The old maps had the
Buenaventura so wrong in every particular that I learned considerable
about the true one, which you know is called Salinas by most people."